Flanging-machine.



F. L. KOLLBERG. FLANGING MAcHlNE.

Patented luly 4, |899.

(Application led Dec. 15, 1898.)

4 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

Patented `July 4, |899.

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(Application Bled Dec. 15, 1898.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

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SEEE-5255s,

F. L. KoLLBEnG. FLANGING MACHINE.

(Application lred Dec. 15, 1898.) (Nu Model.)

MISE 1m: Nonms Farms co., moouwo.. wAsmNG'rcN. u. c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3,

No'. 528,099. Patntgd July 4, |899.

F. L. KoLLBEnG.

`FLANNG MACHINE.

y (Application led Dec. 15, 1898.) I (N0 UOBL) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

m: Noam: rnzks co., mow-nwo. wAsHmoToN. n. c.

UNI-TED.' STATES PATENT rricn.

FREDRICK L. KOLLBERG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS;

FLANGINGfMACl-HN.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 628,099, dated July 4,1899'.

Application filed December l5, 1898. Serial No. 699,323. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may corwerrt: v

Be it known that I, FREDRICK L. KoLLBEnG, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chi'- cago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsinFlangingMachines,ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in Hanging-machines, andparticularly those designed for forming llanges upon boiler-heads, andhas among its primary objects the giving to such a machine thecapability of flanging any size and thickness of boiler-heads from themaximum to the` minimum, which sizes in practice vary, substantially,from about two feet to ten feet in diameter.

Another object is to enable and facilitate the easy insertion andcentering of the plate to be flanged in the machine, the sustaining ofthe same in proper position during the flanging operation, and theremoval of the same from the machine after the flange is formed.

A further object is to have the plate on which the ilange is to beformed held iixed during the flanging operation as against all movementexcept that of free axial rotation while the flange-forming devicesgradually move from a plane coincident with that ofthe plate to onesubstantially at right angles thereto in the act of forming the flangeupon the plate.

These and such other objects as may here-V inafter appear are attainedby the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l represents a central longitudinal section through aflanging-machine embodying my invention, showing the parts in positionpreparatory to commencing the formation of a iiange. Fig. 2representsahorizontal section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3represents a view similar to Fig. l, but showing the parts in theposition they assume when the formation of the llange is completed. Fig.4 represents a transverse vertical section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2,but With the parts in the position represented in Fig. 3; and Fig. 5represents an enlarged detail section through the plate-holding devices.

Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in the severalfigures of the drawmgs.

Referring by letterf to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the bedof the machine.

B B are upright frames 'resting upon the bed and constituting thesupport for the table C of the machine.

D indicates a holding-frame, between which frame and the table is placedthe circular plate or disk E, upon which thev ilange is to be formed. VF F indicate the Hanging-rollers, carried by an oscillating frame G,which is guided and supported in a suitable housing H, resting upon thebed of the machine.

To facilitate comprehension of the details of my invention, I will nowdescribe the general operation thereof, which consists, first, inplacing the plate to be flanged upon the table of the machine, nextcentering the same thereon, then moving the table until the edge 'of theplate extends in between the tlangingrollers a distance corresponding tothe width of the flange to be formed thereon, and then clamping theplate firmly at its center, so as to allow free axial rotation thereof,but no other movement upon the table, the centering devices being backedoff slightly to permit of this free rotation of the plate. vTheHanging-rollers are now brought together, so as'to firmly clamp the edgeof the plate, and are. then started to rotate. While continuouslyrotating, the axis of rotation of the Hanging-rollers is graduallychanged from a position at right angles to the axis of the plate beingflanged to one substantially parallel with the axis of said plate, thisbeing accomplished through the medium of the oscillating frame, in whichthe Hanging-rollers are journaled, the driving mechanism being such thatrotary action of the Hanging-rolls,

and consequently of the plate being ilanged,

ward end. To the upper end of each screw IOO is secured a worin-wheel K,with which mesh worms L, mounted upon a cross-shaft M, suitablyjournaled on the holding frame and adapted to be operated by ahand-wheel N upon one end thereof, whereby the screws J may be operatedVso as to take hold of or release the threaded sockets in the table. Itwill of course be understood that the screws J, while free to rotate inthe arms D, have no endwise movement therein; but I have not deemed itnecessary to herein illustrate in detail this common mechanicalexpedient or any particular bearings for supporting the shaft M, as suchdetails can be readily supplied by any mechanic. It will thus be seenthat when it is desired to place a plate upon or remove it from thetable the shaft M will be rotated until the screws J release the socketsin the table C, when the holdingframe may be swung up on its pivot I asufcient distance to give free space for the removal or insertion of theplate. After the plate is placed upon the table the frame may be allowedto drop back, resting at its center upon the plate, as will be describedin detail fartheron.

To center the plate upon the table, I provide a common means consistingof three or more screw-threaded shafts O, suitably journaled, as againstendwise movement, in bearings depending from the table C, upon each ofwhich shafts is mounted a finger P, having a screw-threaded eye Qworking on the shaft O, the fingers projecting up through radial slotsin the table a suitable distance to engage the edges of the plate uponthe table. These shafts O are geared to rotate in unison, so as to causethe fingers P to simultaneously approach and recede from the center ofthe table by means of beveled pinions R, secured on the inner endsthereof, meshing with a common master-gear S, suitably journaled upon abearing provided at the center of the table, so that when one of saidshafts is rotated, as by the crank-arm T at the front end of the table,the other shafts will be simultaneously rotated, and all of the fingerswill be accordingly adjusted toward and away from the center, dependingon the direction in which the shaft is rotated. Hence it will be seenthat after the plate is placed upon the table between the fingers P itwill be shifted by said fingers and exactly centered upon the table inposition to be flanged, and it is then firmly clamped in this centeredposition by the holding-frame, which will be now locked to the table inthe manner previously described.

Of course the table cannot revolve, and while the table must afford asupport for the plate during the Hanging operation good results cannotbe obtained by dependence being placed upon the centering devices forholding the plate during the fianging operation. I therefore provide forthe free axial rotation of the plate during the clamping operation byhaving at the center of the table the clamping mechanism illustrated indetail in Fig. 5.

This consists of a pair of eylindric jaws U and V, loosely journaled inthe holding-frame and table, respectively, at the center thereof. The

'lower jaw V in the table preferably works in a suitable bearing W,rigidly secured to the under side of the table and of slightly-greaterinternal diameter than the diameter of the jaw, and between the bottomof this bearing and the jaw I interpose a series of balls X to afford anantifriction-bearing at this point, the jaw being provided with adepending stud V', working in an extension of the bearing W, so as tosteady the jaw in its upright position, this extension of the bearingVV'preferably forming the journal upon which the master-gear S beforementioned finds a bearing. The jaw V preferably extends a slightdistance above the plane of the upper surface of the table, asillustrated in Fig. 5, so as to insure the free gripping of the platebetween the jaws. As the plates are generally heated before beingfianged, the jaws will of course become heated, especially when thelarger sizes of plates are being flanged, and to keep said jaws coldwater may be caused to circulate through the bearing W bymeans of asupply-pipe Y, opening into one side thereof, the water escaping throughthe small ducts J in the bottom of the bearing. This also provides forobviating a greater objection-to wit, the deposit of scale around thejaw upon the table, which would choke and interfere with the operationthereof, and to get rid of these I provide that the jaw shall fit in thebearing YV so loosely that there will be an ample circumferential spacearound the jaw for the scales to fall into the bearing, from whence theywill be washed by the circulation of the water. The upper jaw U findsits bearing in the center casting D' of the plate-holder in a socketdepending from the under side thereof, between which socket and theupper part of the jaw is arranged a series of rollers U', affording anantifriction-bearing between these parts as against the clamping strainupon the jaws. This jaw is also provided with a steadyingstud orspindle, which is preferably tubular, as shown, affording a passage forwater to a chamber in thel jaw from the center casting D', which ispreferably formed in the shape of a box to afford a reservoir for thispurpose, to which water is supplied through the pipe \V' and drainedtherefrom through the pipe Y'. lVith the plate now clamped, but free torotate between the table and the holdingframe, the table is nextadvanced toward the Hanging-rollers, so as to extend therebetween adistance corresponding to the width of the flange to be formed. This isdone by manipulating the hand-wheels a, secured to the ends of thescrew-shafts b, (more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4,) as suitablyjournaled at their ends, respectively, in the upright frames B asagainst endwise movement. In guideways formed in the frames B slideguide-blocks c, having sockets therein'to receive pivot-pins d, rigidlysecured to and projecting from thc ICO IIO

IZO

side edges at the under side of the table near the front end thereof, sothat as the screwsf are rotated the guide-blocks c will travel back andforth in the guideways in the frames B, carrying the table with them. Aswill be understood, the table is not supported centrally by the pivot dthereof, this being for the purpose of enabling the dropping of the rearside of the table next to the Hanging-rollers after the iiange is formedand when it is desired to remove the anged plate from the machine.Therefore to maintain the table in a level position I provide thevertical screws e in each rear corner thereof, having hand-wheels f, bymeans of which the screws may be manipulated. These screws rest at theirlower ends upon the bed of the machine and screw back and forth throughthe table, so that when turned up to their limit the table is brought toa level, resting upon these screws and its pivots; but whenever thescrews are reversed or screwed up through the table the rear side of thetable will sink correspondingly, swinging upon its pivots. Obviouslythis mode of supporting the table affords no obstruction to the endwisemovement of the table in adjusting it to bring the plate properlybetween the hanging-rollers as Well as the greater adjustment thereoftoward and away from the flanging-rollers to accommodate varions-sizedplates.

The Hanging-rollers should be adjustable toward and away from oneanother, as well to accommodate differing thicknesses of plates as toproperly grip the plates during the flanging operation. To this end Iprovide the lower driving-roller with fixed bearings for its shaft thatserve to bring the upper edge of the periphery thereof to a plane withthe upper surface of the table when the rollers are in their normalhorizontal position previous to the commencement of the formation of theHange,

while the upper roller is provided with movable or adjustable bearings gby means of screw-threaded stems 77., working through threaded sleevesbearing in the oscillating frame G and carrying on their upper endsworm-vvheels 1I, meshing wi th a worm Zc,mount ed upon a shaft Z, alsojournaled in the frame VG and provided with asuitable crank or handwheel fm, exteriorly of the housing H. Hence whenever the worm-shaft isrotated the bearings g, carrying the upper roller F, will positively1and bodily move said roller toward and away from the lower-.fixedroller, and this will be true no matter what position the oscillatingframe G may be in, for the parts will be operative in any position ofthe said frame. For the purpose of shifting the oscillating frame backand forth from a horizontal to a vertical position, and vice versa, itbeing understood that said frame is firmly held and guided between theside walls of the housing H in any suitable manner, such as by ribs andgrooves or shoulder-and-groove connection, I provide thereon a toothedsegment n, struck on the arc of a circle having for its center a pointsubstantially at the outer ends of the meeting faces of theHanging-rollers, upon which arc the guideways for the frame G in thehousing H are also struck, as the center above referred to is the centerof oscillation for said frame. With this segmental rack engages a piniono, journaled in thc housing and driven in any suitable manner.`

As the mechanism is very heavy and the changing of the position of theHanging-rollers is depended upon to bend up the flange upon the platebeing operated upon, I prefer to operate the shaft upon which the pinionois mounted by a small engine p, resting upon the bed of the machine andproperly geared with said shaft, as illustrated more clearly in Figs. 2and 4, although I do not desire to limit myself to any particular meansfor shifting or oscillating t-he frame G.

During the operation of bending the plate the hanging-rollers mustrotate continuously in order to bring all parts of the edge of the platesuccessively between the rollers as they are bent up,the position of theHanging-rollers being changed with greater or less rapidity, accordingto the thickness of the flange being bent; but obviously in all casesthe change of position must be slow andthe platebeing operated uponcaused to revolve upon its center with its edge between thehanging-rollers a sufficient number of times to render the bendingthereof so gradual as not to cause the cracking of the metal at thebend.

To cause the continuous rotation of the Hanging-rollers in all positionsthereof from their normal horizontal position at the coinmencing of thebending operation, as illustrated in Fig. l, to their final verticalposition, as illustrated in Fig. 3, I provide a short shaft q, looselyjournaled at its ends in the oscillating frame G,and upon said shaft,near each end thereof, I loosely mount a pair of beveled gears r,meshing with a corresponding beveled gear s, rigidly secured to theshaft of the lower Hanging-roller. At the opposite side of said shaftthere also meshes with said beveled gears r r another beveled gear z5,fixed upon one end of a shaft u, the end of said shaft being looselyjournaled in a bearing u, formed at the center of the shaft q. The endof the shaft u is prevented from having end- Wise movement in the saidbearing by the collars w thereon at each side of said bearing.

In point of fact this construction amounts to` the bearing i; beingtrunnioned in the oscil lating frame G, sov as to rock thereon, whilethe gears 0^ r are loosely mounted upon the trunnions of the bearing andcommunicate power from the beveled geart on the shaft u to thedrivinggear s' upon the stationary Hanging-roller.

The shaft u may be driven in any suitable manner; but as it must movewith the oscillating frame G the shaft must have endwise as wellasrotary movement, and to this end I provide a trunnioned rocking bearingfor the other end of the shaft, in which the shaft IOO IIO

IZO

is free to have both axial rotation and longitudinal movement, whileupon the shaft I mount a beveled gear y, having a splined connectionwith said shaft, so that while the shaft is free to have endwisemovement through said gear the gear will rotate with the shaft in allpositions thereof. To this gear power may be transmitted in any suitablemanner from another gear, as @mounted concentrically with the trunnionsof the rocking bearing x, about which of course the gear y must alsooscillate, according to the changing positions of the shaft. It willthus be seen that this driving-shaft is both rotary and extensible ortelescopic with relation to its end bearings, between which bearings thedistance constant-ly changes with the changing position of the shaft,due to the oscillations of the frame G, carrying the fiangingrollers.

As part of the means for imparting a continuous rotation tothe rollersthe gear z may constitute the power or master gear, and the power fordriving the same may be directly applied thereto through'an ordinarypulley (not shown) mounted upon the shaft or sleeve carrying said gearin a manner so obvious as not to require either further description orillustration herein. Instead, however, of having the shaft of the gear,e the power-shaft of the machine I prefer to have the same driven by agear-wheel z', mounted upon the hub thereof, or a sleeve extending fromsaid hub and loosely journaled upon the trunnion of the rocking bearingse, which gear meshes with a pinion z2, keyed upon a power-shaft z3, towhich power is applied by means ofthe pulley 24 also keyed thereon.Hence it will be seen that however the power is applied there is ameans, forming a permanent connection between the stationary power-shaftand the rollers, for imparting a continuous rotation thereto, regardlessof the position of the rollers.

After the ange is formed and the parts are in the position illustratedin Fig. 3 of course the Hanging-rollers cannot be returned to 4 theirnormal horizontal positions until the plate is removed, and hence theworm 7a is now manipulated so as to release the flange from the grip ofthe hanging-rollers, and the locking-screws c are manipulated so as toallow the table to tilt downwardly at its rear side upon its pivot d,which withdraws the flange of the plate from between the hangingrollers.The locking-screws J for the holdtrated and described to be preferableto anyr other now known to me and to satisfactorily serve all of theintended purposes of the machine, both as to strength and durability ofconstruction, as well as econony in construction and operation and thefacility with which the product of the machine may be operated uponthereby.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a Hanging-machine, the combination with a pair of Hanging-rollers,means for oscillating said rollers from a horizontal to a verticalposition and vice versa and means for continuously rotating saidrollers, of a longitudinally-adjustable pivoted table, means forcentering and holding a plate thereon, means for locking the same in ahorizontal plane and means for tilting said table upon its pivots to aposition oblique to the horizontal so as to allow the forward edgethereof, adjacent to the rollers, to drop away from the rollers andthereby withdraw the flange from between the rollers when the latter arein a vertical position, substantially as described.

2. In a Hanging-machine, the combination witha longitudinally-adjustable pivoted table and a lock therefor, of a pair of Hangingrollers,means for oscillating said rollers from a horizontal to a verticalposition and vice versa and means for continuously rotating saidrollers, substantially as described.

In a Hanging-machine, the combination with a longitudinally-adjustablepivoted table and a lock therefor, a holding-frame and a pair ofhorizontally-rotatable gripping-jaws at the centers of said frame andtable, respectivel y, of a pair of Hanging-rollers, means foroscillating said rollers from a horizontal to a vertical position andvice versa and means for continuously rotating said rollers,substantially as described.

4. In a Hanging-machine, the combination with alongitudinally-adjustable pivoted table and a lock therefor, means forcentering a plate thereon, a holding-frame and a pair ofhorizontally-rotatable gripping-jaws at the centers of said frame andtable,respeetively,of a pair of hanging-rollers, means for oscillatingsaid rollers from a horizontal to a vertical position and Vice Versa andmeans for continuously rotating said rollers, substantially asdescribed.

5. In a Hanging-machine, the combination with a table, of a pair ofHanging-rollers, an oscillating frame in which said rollers arejournaled, an oscillatory shaft loosely journaled at one end in saidframe, a gear connection between said shaft and one of theHanging-rollers and means for continuously rotating saidshaft,substantially as described.

6. In a Hanging-machine, the combination with a table, of a pair oflanging-rollers, an

oscillating frame in which said rollers are journaled, an oscillatoryshaft loosely journaled at one end in said frame, a gear con- IOO IIC

nection between said shaft and one of the anging-rollers, a rockingbearing for the other end of said shaft in which the said shaft has bothendwise and rotary movement, a gear-Wheel loosely splined upon saidshaft and through which the shaft has endwise movement and means fordriving said gear, substantially as described.

7. In a Hanging-machine, the combination with a table, a pair-oflianging-rollers, an oscillating frame in which said rollers arejournaled, a segmental rack attached to said frame and a driving-pinionengaging said rack, of an oscillatory shaft loosely journaled at one endin said frame, a gear connection between said shaft and one of thehanging-rollers and means for continuously rotating said shaft,substantially as described.

8. In a Hanging-machine, the combination with a table, a pair ofiianging-rollers, an oscillating frame in which said rollers arejournaled, a segmental rack attached to said frame and a driving-pinionengaging said rack, of an oscillatory shaft loosely journaled at one endin said frame, a gear connection between said shaft and one of theHanging-rollers, a rocking bearing for the other end of said shaft inwhich the said shaft has both endwise and rotary movement, a gear-wheelloosely splined upon said shaft and through which the shaft has endwisemovement and means for driving said gear, substantially as described.

9. In a hanging-machine, the combination with a bed-frame, a table,guide-blocks slidinglongitudinallyin said frame and affording a pivotalsupport for said table, means for adjustin gsaid'guide-blocks,lockscreWs for said table, a holding-frame pivoted tosaid table, and opposing horizontally-rotatable grippingjaws at thecenters of said frame and table, respectively, of a pair of angingrollers, means for oscillating said rollers and for continuouslyrotating the same, substantially as described.

10. In a flanging-machine, the combination with a bed-frame, a table,guide-blocks sliding longitudinally in said frame and aiording a pivotalsupport for said table, means for adjusting said guide-blocks and meansfor centering'and holding a plate on said table, of a pair ofHanging-rollers, means for oscillating said rollers and for continuouslyrotating the same, substantially as described.

11. In a an gin g-machine, the combination with a table and aholding-frame, of a pair of l1 orizontally-rotatable opposinggripping-jaws at the centers of said frame and table, means formaintaining the table-jaw in a bath of Water and means for maintaining acirculation of Water through the frame-jaw, substantially as described.

l2. In a Hanging-machine, the combination With a table, a holding-frameand a pair of horizontally-rotatable gripping-jaws at the centers ofsaid table and frame, of a hollow bearing for the table-jaw having Waterinlet and outlet ducts, a center casting in the frameconstitutingareservoir and having open communication with the interiorof the frame-jaw and Water supply and discharge pipes for saidreservoir, substantially as described.

13. In a ilanging-machine, the combination With alongitudinally-adjustable pivoted table and a lock therefor, aholding-framepivoted to said table and a pair of horizontallyrotatablegripping-jaws at the centers of said table and frame, respectively, theframe-jaw bein g hollow and in open communication With a reservoir onsaid frame, of means for supplying a circulation of Water through saidreservoir and roller and means for submerging the table-jaw in acirculating bath of Water, substantially as described.

FREDRICK L. KOLLBERG.

IVitnesses:

F. H. DRURY, J. N. RAYMOND.

